Comparison of quisqualic and ibotenic acid nucleus basalis magnocellularis lesions on water-maze and passive avoidance performance

Abstract

The present study compares water-maze (WM) (reference and working memory) and passive avoidance (PA) (acquisition and retention) deficits induced by ibotenic (ibo) and quisqualic (quis) acid nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) lesions. Ibo lesions produced a large subcortical cell loss and a decrease in frontal cortex (FR) choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity. Ibo lesions impaired WM acquisition and PA acquisition and retention performance. Quis NBM lesions were restricted to the ventromedial pallidum, but ChAT activity was decreased in FR. Quis NBM lesions impaired PA acquisition and retention, but had no effect on the reference or working memory WM performance.